Super Bowl Sunday Leads to Sick Day Monday [infographic] – Friday Distraction
This weekend is the Super Bowl between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers. The game is expected to draw at least 100 million viewers, making it one of the most watched events in U.S. television.
Even if you don’t like football, the Super Bowl has built a reputation for its commercials (be sure to check out this one with Helen Mirren,) and its excuse for eating junk food (here are the stats to prove it.) The Super Bowl is also famous for employees calling in sick either the day of or the day after.
According to a survey commissioned by The Workforce Institute at Kronos, an estimated 16.5 million U.S. adults may miss work the day after the big game. What I found interesting was, of that number, 10.5 million will have planned the day off in advance. The rest are planning to call in sick on Monday morning.
Oh, and that doesn’t include the 7.5 million who won’t call in sick but they’ll show up late. You can read the entire survey here.
It’s no wonder that in the past there’s been a movement to declare Super Bowl Monday a national holiday. Don’t believe me? Here’s the petition. Until that day happens, organizations have to find ways to let employees enjoy the game and not compromise the business. Here are some things to consider:
- Get in the spirit. If employees have to work over the weekend, is there a way for them to enjoy the festivities? Maybe it’s letting employees wear football jerseys. Or having lunch brought in. Or putting a TV in the breakroom.
- Be flexible. Not all companies are able to do this, but is it possible to give employees some scheduling flexibility so they don’t have to call in sick or late?
- Communicate expectations. Let employees know what they can do. Tell them the goal is to have fun but get the work done.
Organizations, managers and employees all want the same thing – have fun, enjoy the game, and get the work done. Create an experience in which everyone can participate.
1